Lack of headed goals?

Dunno if it's just me or my tactics, but there seems to be a distinct lack of headed goals from open play. I play wide and look to swing the ball in to the back post etc. to players like Carroll and Lukaku, but other than from corners and freekicks, I can't seem to get good old-fashioned target men banging in bullet-headers at the far post. And yes, I use float crosses.

Would like to hear your views on the matter.

My 5'5" left winger scores loads of headed goals from open play (he's usually unchallenged at the back stick...)

I do think that strikers don't seem to score many headed goals though, so maybe there is a problem with them specifically?

My 5'5" left winger scores loads of headed goals from open play (he's usually unchallenged at the back stick...)

I do think that strikers don't seem to score many headed goals though, so maybe there is a problem with them specifically?

If that's the case then it's a real shame. I'm a massive fan of big target men who "put themselves about". There aren't many better in the game than Andy Carroll, and if I can't get to utilise his aerial prowess properly it's a big waste of CA. It seems this FM is more suited to a David Villa type striker.

I have a target man set on mine and he averages about 15 from the head per season in open play, i could be your tactics and the way you have them set up?

I have a target man set on mine and he averages about 15 from the head per season in open play, i could be your tactics and the way you have them set up?

Where do your crosses come from? Deep/ Byline? Fullbacks or wingers? I started as Liverpool and use Carroll as a target man on default settings. I play 2 up top, in a big man/ little man partnership. Carroll never seemed to flick on or use his head well. Would it be better if he was alone up front?

most come from throw ins. The thrower throws it short (as set in instructions) then the player knocks it back to him (I have my best crosser and my taker) and he whips a cross in. I play one up front but dont know if it makes a difference

Anyone else use target men with success? I would like to know how you get the best out of them.

I have scored loads goals from headers but i have noticed that the players you expect to score with their heads don't for example Peter Crouch. I think in one season he scored only 2 and thats with a team that has 2 good wingers with high crossing stats. I am currently playing as Dover and last night my striker scored 4 headed goals in 2 games and he is only 5`5`. So i am not sure what we can make from that.

Just slightly of the subject has anyone got Peter Crouch scoring on a regular basis i just can't get him to score on a regular basis.

Same problems with me. i only saw headed goals when i played in the lower leagues (bsn,bsp) and they where also from tiny wingers at the back post.

cant seem to get any headed goals in more competitive leagues from open play.

Its almost impossible to get realistic headed goals. Players like Peter Crouch, Nikola Zigic and Kenwyne Jones will rarely even win a header from a cross let alone score one. But its perfectly acceptable for my 5ft6 winger to bag 5 or 6 headed goals a season at the back post with 8 jumping and 6 heading.

Its not a tactical issue, its just the way the match engine works.

So basically, I'd be better off re-training players like those mentioned above to centre back as they'd be more use. It seems like the AI has even recognised the flaws in the match engine. I remember seeing on one save Harry Redknapp train Crouch as a centre back

i think i have a fair share of headed goals. I've noticed my right midfielder cuts in alot and heads in alot of goals. He's only 5foot10. It could be because i have Gareth Bale wipping the crosses in from the other flank though.

But it's the lack of goals from 6 ft 5 target men that really bugs me. I don't get how 5 ft 5 wingers can be banging this amount of goals in off their head. When was the last time you saw Aaron Lennon or Theo Walcott rise like a salmon to nod home???

When was the last time you saw Aaron Lennon or Theo Walcott rise like a salmon to nod home???

About 3minutes ago. My Leeds team was playing Arsenal and guess who popped up back stick to nod home...Theo bloody Walcott!!

SI should make PPMs like "Challenge Header", "Likes ball played/crossed to head", "Flicks ball to teamate using head" etc.

Edit: " Post up for Header" !

SI should make PPMs like "Challenge Header", "Likes ball played/crossed to head", "Flicks ball to teamate using head" etc.

Edit: " Post up for Header" !

+1 For this idea however i think the lack of goals is due to the match engine.

anyone playing on 11.1 or 11.2 having the same problems?

The problem seems to be specifically that the strikers' movement in the box aren't good enough when it comes to meeting crosses.

While the wingers coming in deep often moves in on the far post, unmarked, I can see my 190cm 17 jumping, 15 off the ball, 19 heading, 19 strength world class striker does nothing to actually get to the ball. The defenders aren't put under pressure when they head the ball away - they move to intercept the ball while the strikers just stand there, watching. Setting him to target man and cross to target man, aim at head, this does nothing because it appears the striker doesn't know the ball is headed for him.

I don't think any of my strikers have ever scored on a header in open play.

Edit: In FM10 it was the exact opposite. In that version, the ball would rarely touch the ground and big strong players were a necessity. In FM11 Pace is the second most important attribute behind Determination, and Heading seems to be a completely useless attribute along with Jumping (except for central defenders).

Personally I dont think its so much an issue with forwards and heading, as it is with wingers and when they choose to cross the ball. The headers I have seen are same as people above, from wingers, usually crossed in by the opposite winger on a counter attack or break. When my tall forward is bearing down on goal my winger will nearly always without fail check back and back pass it rather than whip in a cross, and if he does its just not aimed in front of the forward but on top of him, allowing the defenders to easily intercept it.

That said its not useless. If your playing a superior side with good defenders and your forward is bad at heading youll spend most of the game having the ball headed back at you whenever your defenders clear it. Granted this can be minimised with tactics (short, to feet etc) but sometimes you just need your forward to nod the ball on even if its to nobody just to relieve pressure on your defence. Equally if their defenders are struggling to win headers they will often make mistakes and head it straight to your creative players, so its far from useless, but its not exactly vital admittedly.

my wingers get quite a few goals from back post headers from open play, other then that they are useless

In my current career with Ajax my top scorer is 6'8" ST Lacina Traore. I have two good crossing wingers and and have my fullbacks crossing often. But can I buggery get Traore to score headers from open play. He scores bucketloads from freecicks and corners, and is pretty good in normal striking situations.

I very rarely see any unless it's from corners. Seems to be the case since FM10.

I know, it's probably my tactics.

i seen many tbh though mostly AI, as my team don't have good headers and i don't play crossing game anyway

From open play... Maybe a little too few, but there's about right, if not a bit much from set plays.

Defender usually nets them from corners and free kicks.

Strikers and midfielders have scored a few for me, (not with alarming regularity because I play through the middle most the time) from deep crosses from the full backs. But yes, the majority of goals tend to be screamers, or in-box shots etc.

Its almost impossible to get realistic headed goals. Players like Peter Crouch, Nikola Zigic and Kenwyne Jones will rarely even win a header from a cross let alone score one. But its perfectly acceptable for my 5ft6 winger to bag 5 or 6 headed goals a season at the back post with 8 jumping and 6 heading.

Its not a tactical issue, its just the way the match engine works.

Unfortunately, you are spot on

Its almost impossible to get realistic headed goals. Players like Peter Crouch, Nikola Zigic and Kenwyne Jones will rarely even win a header from a cross let alone score one. But its perfectly acceptable for my 5ft6 winger to bag 5 or 6 headed goals a season at the back post with 8 jumping and 6 heading.

Its not a tactical issue, its just the way the match engine works.

best header in Everton is cahil and he is not that good jumper or tall.

you need anticipation, decision and determination to move to the ball first, and more importantly you need a good crosser, why you think Crouch not scoring alot header in spurs or even at Liv or Portsmouth, because he has no good crosser.. it is just not enough to send the ball to the box

best header in Everton is cahil and he is not that good jumper or tall.

you need anticipation, decision and determination to move to the ball first, and more importantly you need a good crosser, why you think Crouch not scoring alot header in spurs or even at Liv or Portsmouth, because he has no good crosser.. it is just not enough to send the ball to the box

Explaining the complete lack of headed goals from within the box by strikers by pointing to a classy goal-scoring midfielder who's not tall is escapism.

There is definitely a lack of headed goals in the game. Yes unmarked wingers bag lots of goals at the far post but target men should score a lot more.

However, thats for lower leagues. I mean come on, world football has changed. Tall forwards just don't work anymore in top competitions. Take a look at all the major clubs in Europe and you can't find a tall forward. Perhaps Berbatov and Zlatan but they are both technically gifted players who usually use their feet to score goals. So it isn2t a surprise if your target man tactic doesn't work in EPL, it's realism.

Explaining the complete lack of headed goals from within the box by strikers by pointing to a classy goal-scoring midfielder who's not tall is escapism.

that was just an example that jumping and height is not only thing, in UTD for exampl,e chicharito scored many great headers, because he has great service from UTD wingers and he is faster and have better anticipation than Crouch

and in everton, cahil a midfielder score more headers than alike of Saha, Beckford who are strikers .. that should tell you something ,, and he score more headers than Fellaini who is taller and bigger and stronger, despite they fight for box for same ball. if you can't read from all that what i mean, I sure understand why you are baffled that your players don't score more headers

tbf Crouch is a bad example, as he's pretty naff in the air IRL. He might win the ball by virtue of his height, but where it'll go next is anybody's guess. He's actually much better with the ball at his feet.

That said, crossing to a big target man in the box hasn't really worked for me yet in this version. I've had the same phenomenon as Lazaru5 (second post) in that my headed goals often come from players ghosting into the box, or alternatively from corners. Then again, I haven't really been playing with wingers pinging in loads of crosses due to a lack of wingers who can cross

that was just an example that jumping and height is not only thing, in UTD for exampl,e chicharito scored many great headers, because he has great service from UTD wingers and he is faster and have better anticipation than Crouch

and in everton, cahil a midfielder score more headers than alike of Saha, Beckford who are strikers .. that should tell you something ,, and he score more headers than Fellaini who is taller and bigger and stronger, despite they fight for box for same ball. if you can't read from all that what i mean, I sure understand why you are baffled that your players don't score more headers

All real-life examples of players that score or don't score goals from crosses, and all irrelevant. The issue is that big, strong, fast and smart strikers playing against small, weak and blind defenders in FM never bother trying to be at the end of a cross, and if they luck out and happen to be by chance where the cross ends up their 17+ in Heading doesn't seem to make a difference whatsoever.

Which means that the only type of striker worth bothering with is the fast and technical one. Jumping is only relevant on set pieces, and heading doesn't seem to be relevant at all. So everything is fine then?

When all that is said, I and a friend started a game where I chose Juventus, and strangely with the exact same tactic Iaquinta and Quagliarella have both scored goals from headers within the 5-yard box from both deep and byline crosses!

The striker I have in Las Palmas is faster, stronger, as good in the air and with at least as good mental (and much better technical) attributes as Iaquinta. Probably at least as good ability as well as he is world class and worldwide reputation. Walter Gaitan is fast and 16 or 17 in crossing so he should be able to cross well. The defenders in Spain aren't usually bigger and stronger in the air than the Italian ones. Strangely, the Juventus players are crossing higher - to the head- while the Las Palmas players rarely does so and when they do the strikers are passive while the winger at the far post is anticipating things.

Could the explanation be that football is different in Italy and Spain?

I've had forwards score more diving headers than jumping headers from memory.